jackn2mpu wrote:Jeff:How detailed did you get with the plan? I mean, did you get down to turnout level, making your own cells/templates for turnouts? Or does somebody have them available online? I have a cad program on my Mac that can import Autocad cells.
Jeff:
How detailed did you get with the plan? I mean, did you get down to turnout level, making your own cells/templates for turnouts? Or does somebody have them available online? I have a cad program on my Mac that can import Autocad cells.
de N2MPU Jack,
I use Empire Express by Haddon on my Mac. It is a good, basic, inexpensive, 2D layout planning program that is easy to learn quickly. It has a catalog of various track sets, including Walthers/Shinohara. You can draw your own catalog sets, too: I drew my own curved turnouts because I found that theirs are a little off and the actual radii of the diverging curves are sharper than published. If you are interested, I can email you a copy of the set I made.
I actually just draw them as needed. I'm sure somewhere on the net, someone has created track libraries (I can't be the only one using the software for this).. All of my tracks are denoted as single lines and once I figured out where the converging lines (as drawn) actually go on a turnout placement, I can to the 1/16 inch, from paper to benchwork, determine exactly where the points will be (for placing crossmembers underneathe, etc).
At one time I had done a library of my own but like some other software I had tried, getting things lined up took longer than just redrawing each time. It's been awhile since I've even seen them, I think they are stored somewhere on a 5 1/4" floppy disk (if that gives you an idea).
The way I draw them is quite simple.. First, I determine, about, where I want a turnout and what size turnout I want. Say a #7. I'll strike a line perpendicular to the straight track. From there, I'll use two offset (a command that will draw a duplicate parrallel line a set distance from another one, works great for building yard ladders) commands, one for the 7 inch run, and one for the 1 inch diverge (could do 14 and 2 inch as well, works the same way). From there, connect the two points to make the diverging line and clean things up. I can draw them much faster than explain how to do it.
The plan I've shown isn't final yet but once it is, I can map out terrain and buildings to get a 3d picture of what it'll look like. This is probably where the dedicated planning software shines over Autocad because the Autocad requires you to actually work in 3d space. Very tedious but at the end of it, I can flip and rotate to any angle (standing or seated view for instance).
Any line drawing cad program will work for this.. Only a few simple drawing commands are needed. Offset, Fillet (for curves), Trim, Extend, Line, etc. There are probably even free ones out there that'll do it.
I do have blocks for each of my buildings as well as trains so I can populate the drawing and get an idea of how things will look. Here's an example..
http://www.rolleiman.com/trains/redlight.html
Scroll down to the middle of the page..
de N2MPU Jack
Proud NRA Life Member and supporter of the 2nd. Amendment
God, guns, and rock and roll!
Modeling the NYC/NYNH&H in HO and CPRail/D&H in N
Autocad..
Kind of overkill for drawing track plans but but anything I can do with a pencil and paper, I can do with this, and a lot faster.. (I also use it for other things)
Have you heard / seen a product called TRAINZ. the web site is www.railroadsimulator.com Go to the Demos for the rail sim. It shows the game side of the software - but in the Surveyor mode you can modify track plans or BUILD YOUR OWN. A tip, I use each grid as 100mm (about 4inches)
Happy modeling
Vail and Southwestern RR wrote:XtrkCad isn't the easiest thing to use, and if you don't have the patience to do the demo/tutorial, you will probably hate it, and never want to use it. I always recomment doing the tutorial, working with it for a few hours, and then doing the tutorial again. You learn a lot more the second time.If you think you'll just sit down and use it, you will be disappointed, and call it names!
XtrkCad isn't the easiest thing to use, and if you don't have the patience to do the demo/tutorial, you will probably hate it, and never want to use it. I always recomment doing the tutorial, working with it for a few hours, and then doing the tutorial again. You learn a lot more the second time.
If you think you'll just sit down and use it, you will be disappointed, and call it names!
This is what worked for me as well.
Johnnny_reb wrote:says it does not work with windows 98.
Bummer!
Jeff But it's a dry heat!
That would be a problem for anyone running an older operating system. I imagine Anyrail's predecessor, DRail ran under the 9x platform.
I can't comment on the lack of a learning curve and I won't comment on the $55 price tag. I'll just head off to the online LHS to spend the $55 I didn't spend on track planning software, on track!
Johnnny_reb Once a word is spoken it can not be unspoken!
My Train Page My Photobucket Page My YouTube Channel
Johnnny_reb wrote: I give up on this track planning software stuff. Tried X whatsitface and Atlas rts and got fustigated trying to work with either one. I'll just go with what I was able to past together and go old school. And just start laying track and MAKE it fit. I have a "Really Big Friendly Hammer" and I can have fun with that. I have a back ground in drafting and this software is a joke, I can draw it out free hand in shorter time. How do you deal with this mess?
I give up on this track planning software stuff. Tried X whatsitface and Atlas rts and got fustigated trying to work with either one. I'll just go with what I was able to past together and go old school. And just start laying track and MAKE it fit. I have a "Really Big Friendly Hammer" and I can have fun with that.
I have a back ground in drafting and this software is a joke, I can draw it out free hand in shorter time. How do you deal with this mess?
http://www.anyrail.com/index_en.html
I use this instead...Virtually no learning curve. The program's not free, but they have a free demo you can try. I don't think Atlas is too bad, but I won't say what I think of Xtcrap...
Atlas rts7 was really a no-brainer for me to learn. I just wasn't happy with the programs output not matching the real world.
XTrkCad, has a much greater learning curve but it is in my opinion worth the extra time spent learning it. I went through the demos and worked with it for a week, then brushed up on the areas I felt I needed to study and I have been planning with it ever since. I'd rather use the warez than a paper and pencil anyday.
I have taken some drafting instruction in the past but I have a background in self teaching software so I may have an advantage in that regard. Having used other cad drawing applications in the past helps to ease the learning curve of the track planning cad apps too. Like anything it just takes patience.